Wednesday, November 26, 2003

The Cycle of Things

As most of you know by now, Aunt Fran passed away monday. I am grieved by her passing, but am comforted in the fact that she has left behind this wonderful legacy. I wish she didn't start her new journey so soon, but it is not up to me when someone is called to journey on. I am taking comfort in the wonderful memories I have of her and the fellowship that has developed with some family members because of all of this.

I was informed by my Dad that there will be no funeral, but two memorial services, one in Minneapolis where she & my Uncle Larry & cousins have been the past 15 years or so, and then one in Buffalo where she was born and raised.

I've never been a fan of funerals, but who is. I much prefer the memorial service, it is more a celebration of life than the funeral. And I'm pretty sure that's how Aunt Fran would want to be remembered, how she lived, not how she died. She was this incredibly funny, caring, nurturing woman who left an impression on everyone she met. It will take a long while before it sinks in that she is physically no longer here.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers and condolences. I am so very lucky to have the friends I do.

Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving. Enjoy every moment of it, even when your family drives you crazy.

Monday, November 24, 2003

Stillness That Comes to All

"...the Great Sky God once, in the old days, had looked down and seen that men were not free, for they feared the Stillness That Comes to All. And so the Great Sky God had called for Papa Legba, the interpreter of the Great Sky God and other gods, and had told him to take the message to men the the Stillness That Comes to All, that they called Death, was not an ending of things, but a passing on of spirit, a change of shape, and nothing more; that when the Stillness came upon those they loved, they should not fear or grieve, but rejoice, because the loved one had merely left the body that bound him to the ground and become a spirit who could fly wherever he willed..."
- David Bradley, The Chaneysville Incident

Saturday, November 22, 2003

Wisdom of Solomon

Talked with Mom a couple days ago (we've talked since then) regarding the whole Aunt Fran thing, and she was telling me about this passage that she was studying in her class. After reading it a bunch of times I can see why she would find comfort in it.

Chapter 4, verses 7-9
But the just person, even one who dies an untimely death, will be at rest. It is not length of life and number of years which bring the honour due to age; if people have understanding, they have grey hairs enough, and an unblemished life is the true ripeness of age.

Thursday, November 20, 2003

blech!!!

Just a quick post for now, must leave for Shakespeare class in a few....

Ok, so I brought in some soy milk & cereal to eat at my desk. Well, I had some soy milk left over and thought it'd be yummy to have a soy caffee au lait. Well, I didn't have a way to heat the milk, so I put luke warm soy milk in my hot coffee, and it was pretty tasty...for about 15 minutes, now it's cold and is really nasty. And I'm too lazy to go warm it up in the microwave...

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

eeeehhhhhaaaaahhhahahahahahahaaaaaa

eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! My copy of Two Towers came in!!! That now puts me in a quandry, do I do my Shakespeare paper or watch Two Towers this weekend??

Also, there's a short article on REM in the new People with this really really good picture of the band, and my Mike Mills looks really really good and the receptionist let me have the article (it was her magazine)....heheheheheheheheheeeeee I'm so obsessed with Mike Mills, ok not obsessed cuz I've never tried to meet him or sent him love letters, but I would so marry him.... I'm such a dork.

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

I hate group projects...

I hate them. Hate is not a strong enough word. After much frustration today, I did receive some responses from two of my fellow group members.... I'm meeting up with Cassandra tomorrow to discuss what she gave me, the changes and additions I made & to see if we could do last minute tweeking. I'm not as annoyed as I was earlier, but am still annoyed.

My African American Lit paper's done & handed in. My Muse is on her way to Dan's for a few days, until I call her back when I start my Shakespeare paper.

I was on the phone with my Dad earlier & he asked how the end of the semester was going. I'm going to be sad to see this semester end. It's been the best one since I've started at GWU. I finally have made some friends, I've met a nice guy. I love all my classes. But change is a part of life and I must embrace the future.

I'm especially sad, 'though to see my African American Lit class, I know I've raved about my Shakespeare class, but I have to say that my AAL class is by far my favorite this semester. I just adore my professor and I've really enjoyed everything we've learned this semester.

Monday, November 17, 2003

Too much sleep??

Never had that smoke, did pour the cranberry juice, but didn't drink it until this morning. Laid down at 7:45pm last night for an hour nap, and woke up at 2:45am. So much for doing work last night. Got up & ate some peanut butter & jelly sans bread and went back to bed.

Woke up at 7:20 nice & refreshed, but am now plagued by a really bad sinus headache. Nothing is making it go away. I just want to close my eyes and put my head on my desk. THis is really not a good day for this. I have to write my paper (seems my Muse has a thing for Dan & has been over at his place this whole time) and my group project meeting tonight.

Did have a soy gingerbread lattee & some advil, I'm hoping those kick in anytime now and I'll feel my normal chipper self.

Oooo... I think my lovely Muse has decided to abandon Dan for a bit and come help me with my paper. Must go write....

Sunday, November 16, 2003

Missing: One Muse...

She looks like Ani DiFranco, and is prolly reading a smutty novel while smoking Camel Lights and drinking whiskey. If you see her, can you please tell her that I've been looking for her all day and that she needs to get her pretty ass to my place so I can write my African American Lit paper.

Yesterday was a good writing day. I managed to get my Sociology paper out in three hours, which is a record for me. Silly me to think that I could be so lucky, today, with my African American Lit paper. I've been working on it since Niels left around 1pm and so far I have a page of crappy notes. And it's not like I can write it tomorrow night (it's due tuesday) because I have to meet with my sociology group to work on our stoopid group project after work.

Writer's block!! I have writer's block!! ARRRGGGHHHHHH

Ok, I'm going to go smoke, pour some cranberry juice and stare at my paper some more. Perhaps, by some miracle, words will start to fall into place.

Why am I an English major?? Someone please remind me? Because God knows how much I enjoy writing.

Thursday, November 13, 2003

gggrrrr....

Just got off the phone with Mom. Got not good, not good at all update regarding Aunt Fran. Seems that chemotherapy isn't working one bit, the tumors in her liver & pancreas have grown in size. So, her doctors have decided to stop treatment and begin Hospice care. Mom's not sure how she feels, Aunt Fran doesn't even know how she feels about all of this. My Grandma B's birthday (she passed away in March) is coming up in December and Mom has a feeling something's going to happen then, she's not sure what, can't fully explain it, but thinks something's going tohappen then. So, Mom's going to Minneapolis at the beginning of December and I don't expect she'll go back to Buffalo until Christmastime.

So, to what ever god you worship, if you could just send some good thoughts & prayers....

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

Very very very very sleepy...

Have been spoiled the past three nights, with Niels spending the night. Unfortunately, we don't go to bed until late, so I'm not getting my full 8 hours of sleep that I'm used to. But, it's so nice to have someone to cuddle with at night. The end of the semester's fast approaching & we both have lots of school work to do so we're prolly not going to see much of each other the next couple weeks.

Monday, November 10, 2003

I had this dream...

I had a dream last night that Niels & I were asleep at my parents' house, in my old bedroom, I wake up (in my dream) and look out the window and see that there is about a food of snow on the ground and that it is still snowing outside...

The dream dictionary had this to say:
Snow symbolize chilled and unexpressed emotions or emotions which have been repressed for an extended period of time. The snow in your dream suggests that you or someone else is emotionally cold, unresponsive, and indifferent. Clean, white snow may represent innocence, truth, peace and relaxation. Virgin snow, as you may see it covering a beautiful landscape, may represent new beginnings or a new way of seeing things and dirty snow may represent guilt. In literary works such as "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls," snow represents death.

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

Comination Skin

ugh. My nose is one big oil field. I'm sure we could produce some nice petrol from the oil that is being emitted from my nose. Why can't I have all oily skin (no wrinkles when I'm old) or all dry skin (slather on the face cream)?? Very annoying. I'm sure my crappy ass diet lately is not helping the situation. I need to up my fruits & veggies. Thank goodness I get paid on friday, so I can go grocery shopping on saturday.

Nothing too exciting to report. Going to hang out with Niels after work. There's going to be a UNFPA meeting on campus & he asked if I wanted to go. I have no clue what they'll be discussing or planning. So it'll be interesting.

Lots of school work to do the next couple weeks. I have 2 papers, a presentation and a dialogue to write up in the next two weeks. I also have to catch up on my Shakespeare reading. I haven't (re)read the last two plays. I figured I read them 2 summers ago, I can bluff my way through class.

Congrats to Dan & Stacy on the house!!! Congrats also go out to Martha & martha on their new addition!! MEOW!!!

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

Have you ever...?

Have you ever felt like something big was about to happen, but you didn't know what it was? All you knew was that it was something good?? I'm having that feeling today. I'm really hyper and having problems focusing because of it all. I don't know what's out there, but I know it's going to be HUGE.

Lots and nothing going on at the sametime.... to unfocused to write about it all at this time.

About Me

I'm a raging liberal and late bloomer who has finally graduated from college after many years. I often lust after yarn I can't afford; a knitoholic who loves all things Buffalo, R.E.M., NPR, world events, and sleeping in on Saturdays.